Non-bulging fruit box



YJuly 7, 1959 w. c. GEORGE NON-BULGING FRUIT BOX Filed oct. 19, 1955 MLU F'l G .7.

FIGB.

United States Patent() NoN-BULGING FRUIT Box Walter C. George, St. Louis, Mo., assignor, byy mesne assignments, to Crown Zellerbach Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application October 19, 1955, Serial No. 541,40()

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-14) The invention relates to containers which are substantially proof against side wall outward deliection or bulging, especially when loaded with fresh fruit and hydro-cooled prior to shipment.

:Fresh fruit or the like is usually pre-cooled just prior ,to loading, for example, in railroad cars, by passing packed `.containers of the fruit through a hydro-cooler. A common cause of failure of containers for this purpose is the weakening of the walls by undue absorption of moisture, resulting in highly objectionable outward deflection or bulging thereof.

The` container of a preferred form of the invention is rectangular in shape, comprising inner and outer full telescoping sections with an inner liner. The outer and inner telescoping sections are each closed by flaps attached to the top and bottom edges respectively of the side and endwalls. The linercomprises a solid bottom panel of somewhat lesser length and breadth than the bottom panel of the inner body section. Flaps integral with each side and end edge of the liner bottom panel are disconnected from each other and extend upwardly, flaring slightly outwardly, and the upper margins thereof are reversely folded over the top edges of the body section walls at a height which automatically positions the bottom panel of the liner about- 1/z toV 3M above the bottom panel of the body section.

When the liner is positioned within the inner section as described, it functions, in effect, as a cradle suspended from the upper free edges of the inner section walls in spaced relation from the section walls' and bottom panel thereof. Whenthe `liner is tilled with fruit, the weight thereof, supported solely by the upper free edges of the container, depresses the suspended bottom panel of the liner slightly which dellection simultaneously draws the side panels slightly inwardly so'that the liner absorbs substantially all of the outward thrust of the contents. The tendency of the side walls of the container to bulge outwardly, especially when the loaded container is pre-cooled, is effectively eliminated.

When the fruit is to be hydro-cooled before shipment, and the telescoping cover sectionis constructed of relatively heavy paperboard such as double face corrugated board to provide top load requirements, the invention permits the use of relatively light solid iibreboard in the body section and liner with resulting overall economy of material.

An object of the invention is to provide a container for shipping fresh fruit which may be loaded and passed through a hydro-cooler prior to shipment with substantially no resulting outward deection or bulging of the side walls thereof.

Another object is to provide a container for packaging, pre-cooling and shipping fresh fruit and the like, comprising an inner body section with a cradle-like liner suspended from the top edges of the walls for containing the contents free from contact with the body bottom panel and Walls, enclosed in an outer full telescoping cover section.

Fice

Still another object is to provide a shipping container of high stacking strength for fresh fruit vcomprising an inner section constructed of solid breboard with a liner, also of solid tibreboard, suspended from the upper' edges of the body walls enclosed in a full telescoping outersection constructed of corrugated paperboard, the Walls of the liner being of slightly less height than the walls of the inner section and the bottom panel of the liner being of slightly less length and width than the bottom closure of the body section, whereby all portions `of the liner are spaced inwardly from like parts of the body section.

Other objectsy and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent in the following description and the accompanying drawing in which:` i

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the blank which forms the inner body section;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled inner body section; i i

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the inner liner is assembled; f

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view -of the body section with the fully assembled liner positioned thereabove;

Fig. 5 is a end view of the completely vassembled inner body section;

Fig. 6 isa sectional view of. the body section'shown in Fig. 5 taken in the direction of the arrows 6-6;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the containershown in Fig. 5 taken along the direction of theV arrows 7-7;

Fig. S is a vertical section taken along the median line of the fully assembled loaded container. The blank for forming a preferred form of lthe body section of the container is indicated'at A, Fig. l. The blank is scored longitudinally at' 10 andY transversely at 11, defining end walls 12, side walls 13 and connecting flap 14. yThe upper edge of the end and side .walls are notched at substantially their midwidth at 15 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. End wall bottom` closure flap 16 and side wall bottom closure flaps-17 are hinged to the respective walls along the horizontal score 10 -and are separated from eachother by slots 18 extending from the outer edges thereof to the horizontal score 10. 'I'he notches 18 are vpreferably alternately oset from the planes of transverse scores 11 to facilitate folding of the closure flaps in the course ofassembly of the blank.

The blank A is shown fully assembled in Fig. 2 with the connecting ilap 14 secured to the remote end wall 12 by staples 19 or other suitable means and bottom closure aps folded right angularly inward in closed position.

The blank for forming the inner liner of the body section in shown at B, Fig. 3. Longitudinal scores 20 and transverse scores 21 define the bottom panel 22 of the liner and the hinge lines of the liner side walls 23 and end walls 24 respectively.. The scores 20 and 21 are positioned to provide the bottom panel 22 of slightly less length and width than the bottom closure of the body section. The outer margin of each ofthe liner walls is double scored at 25 to define anges 26 which are reversely folded into parallel spaced relation to the outer face of the liner walls and secured in the described position preferably by a single staple 27 applied approximately midway the length of the flanges 26. The spaces between the upper margins of the liner walls and the inner faces of the flanges 26 provide channels adapted to receive the upper edges of the body walls. The double scores 25 are spaced from the longitudinal scores 20 and transverse scores 21 a distance somewhat less than the height of the walls 12 and 13 of the body section, thereby suspending the bottom panel of the liner about 1/2 to 3A of an inch above body section bottom panel with the liner walls spaced inwardly from the section walls when the liner is inserted therein.

A convenient method of assembling the container is to fold the end Walls 12 and side walls 13 about the transverse .scores 11 to form a rectangular tube and attaching the connecting fiap 14 to the free side edge of the remote end panel 12 by staples 19, glue or other suitable means. The end bottorn closure .aps 16 are folded right angularly inwardly and .the side wall .bottom closure flaps 17 also folded right :angulanly inwardly lover the folded end wallftlaps and the flaps 'secured together by glue, :staples or other suitable Imeans. The fully assembled body blank is shown :in perspective in Fig. 2.

The blank B., .forming .the liner of the body section, may be .readily .assembled by folding the flanges .26 outwardly and downwardly in .parallel relation to the outer face'of the liner walls 23 and 24 and securing them preferably by vstaples 2:7. The side walis 23 and end walls .24 are then folded upwardly .into `position to insert into the body section andwill be .atan angle slightly .greater than 90 with relation to the bottom panel 22 -of the liner. The exploded perspective drawing, Fig. 4 shows the preassembled liner preparatory to insertion into :its final position within the body section. When the liner is lowered into the body section, the reversely folded flanges 26 automatically telescope the upper outer margin of .the side and end walls, the upper free edges of the container walls 12` and 13 .seating in the base of the folds of the flanges about thedouble score 2,5. The portions tof the flanges 26, which are tightly secured against the liner walls by the staples 27, seat in the cutouts 15 in the top edges `of the body walls, thuspermitting the unsecured portions of the folded anges, which in effect form pockets, to ride over the top marginsof the ycontainer ofthe body walls.

The completely assembled body section with the liner inv assembled position therein is shown` in Fig. while Fig, 6 illustrates the detail .of the tianges 26 and staples 27 through a vertical section of the body section shown in Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrows 6 6. Fig. 7 illustrates thespacing of thebottom panel 22 of the liner above the bottom closure of the body section and the slightly inwardly anddownwardly converging inner walls. The clearance between the inner and outer bottom panels may be varied somewhat depending upon the size of the container, the object being to provide a space for the downward deiiectionv of the liner bottom panel underload as shown in the sectionalview ofy Fig. 8.. Byv this arrangement of parts the weight of the contents of the container is uniformly distributed on the upper edges of the side and end walls of the body section, the inwardly inclined walls of the liner absorbing any outward thrust by the contents, leaving the walls of the body section free of any tendency to outward deflection or bulging.

Uponcompletion of. the loading and pre-cooling of the container. and contents, a full ltelescoping cover section indicated at 28 in Fig'. 8, preferably constructed of double face corrugated board, is tclescoped over the body section and inner liner loaded with fruit and the container is ready for shipment. Elimination of the outward` deliection of the. side walls of the body sectionwhen the con- 4 tainer is .loaded facilitates tho telescoping of the cover section which otherwise might be quite diicult, if not impossible, to properly position over the body section of pre-cooled loaded containers.

It is to be understood lthat the embodiment herein described is illustrative and not restrictive, and it is also to be understood that the 'invention may be susceptible of embodiment in other modified forms, and that all such modifications which are similar or equivalent hereto come equally within the scope of the claims next appearing.

What I claim is:

l. In a container for packaging and shipping a commodity, the container comprising -a body section and a unitary liner section nested within the body section, the liner section including a closed bottom and upstanding opposed side walls foldably connected thereto, upper marginal end portions of Sat least la pair of opposed liner side walls being outwardly and downwardly turned on a 'fold line .into substantial parallelism with lthe adjacent portion of the side wall and each forming a supporting tiange for the liner section, separate fastening means between the 'ends of each downturned tiange and 'securing a portion of each downturned iiange in face engagement with the respective liner side wall, the unsecured portion of each ange 4being spaced from its side wall and forming pockets therewith, the body section comprising connected together upstanding wall panels integral with a substantially iiat bottom, at least a pair of opposed body wall panels having cut-outs in their upper marginal portions forming notches and adjacent edge por-tions, said adjacent edge portions being received in said pockets, and said face contacting portion of the iiange and part of rthe securing means. being received in said notches wherein said liner section is supported on said body section by Said flanges and in locked condition with said body walls.

2. The container as deiined in and by claim 1 wherein the height of the side walls of the liner from the line of fold .to the foldable connection with the bottom, with the said fastening means and portion of the auge in each cut-out, is such to support the -bottom of the liner section slightly above the bottom of the body section, and the length of the liner side walls is slightly shorter than the length of the respective body section wall panels.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 829,506 Coleman Aug. 28, 1906 874,891 Henrich Dec. 24, 1907 1,152,084 Fenlason Aug. 31, 1915 1,178,003 Fenlason Apr. 4, 1916 1,375,722 Ogden Apr. 26, 1921 1,673,535 Sheehy June 12, 1928 2,121,667 Kittredge June 21, 1938 2,143,662 Schwarz Jan. l0, 1939 

